Wrapper-carrier for cigar-machines.



.PATENT'ED APR. 2, 1907.

W. S. LUOKETT. WRAPPER CARRIER FOR CIGAR MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1906.

in: NORRIS PETERS calnv snmcron, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFJiQE.

WILLIAM S. LUOKETT, OF EAST ORANGE, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTER- NATIONAL CIGAR MACHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed May 31,1906. Serial No. 319,411.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. LUOKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVVrapper-Carriers for Cigar-Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming apart of the same. v

This invention relates to certain improvements in cigar-machines.

In certain classes. of cigar-machines the wrapper is fed to the wrapping mechanism by means of a suction-carrier, which delivers the wrapper to the bunch in the wrapping mechanism. during the wrapping operation, the angular relation between the wrapping mechanism and thecarrier being varied during the delivery of the wrapper, so as to properly present the wrapper to the tapering bunch. In these machines it is desirable that the suction be allowed to act on as much of the leaf on the carrier as is possible; but at the same time care must be taken not to make the suction-openings too large, for if this is done the plate which forms the face of the suction-carrier is unduly weakened, and aside from this fact it frequently happens that a number of machines are connected up to the same main suction line-pipe. The strength of the suction will therefore vary according to the number of machines which happen to be in a given stage of the wrapping operation at the same time, so that the suc tion in the carriers willvary. If the openings are made unduly large, a strong suction is apt to draw the leaf too far down into the large openings, with the liability that the leaf will become broken. Further, it is desirable in order to avoid wrinkling the wrapper that the lines of force set up by the pull of the rolling bunch on the wrapper against the re taining force of the suction in the wrapper be substantially parallel, and for this reason it is desirable that the wrapper be pulled away from the carrier on what may be termed successive lines extending transversely of the carrier, which lines are parallel to the wrapping mechanism, or rather to the bunch therein, as the angular relation between the carrier and the bunch in the wrapping mechanism varies.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce an improved suction wrapper-carrier for cigar-machines in which a large surface of the leaf is exposed to the action of the suction, this being effected without unduly increasing the size of the openings leading to the suction-chamber.

A further object of the invention is to produce an improved suction wrapper-carrier for cigar-machines in which a large area of the leaf shall be exposed to the action of the suc tion, the suction being arranged to act in such a way that the wrapper is drawn from the carrier on lines which-are substantially parallel to the wrapping mechanism at the time the wrapper is drawn from the carrier.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements, and combinations, as will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out.

Figure 1 represents in plan view a construction embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 8, 4, and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating the action of the carrier as it delivers its wrapper to the wrapping mechanism.

The improved wrapper-carrier which forms the subject-matter of this application is intended to be used with that type of cigarwrapping machines with which a suction wrapper-carrier is employed to deliver the wrapper to the wrapping mechanism during the wrapping operation, the angular relation between the carrier and the wrapping mechanism being varied during the delivery of the wrapper, a machine of this type being illustrated, for instance, in the patent to R. L. Patterson and George Arents, Jr., N 0. 654,178, dated July 24, 1900.

Referring to the drawings, the wrappercarrier comprises a casting 1, which is formed to provide a suction-chamber 2, the operating or wrapper-carrying face of the carrier being formed by a plate 3. The casting 1 will be connected with a suitable source of suction, this being effected in any desired way. As shown, the casting is provided with a cap 4, by which the carrier may be secured to a suction standard or pipe. Generally speaking, the construction of the carrier is similar to that disclosed in the application of Oluf Tyberg, Serial No. 264,568, filed June 10, 1905.

In order that a large area of the leaf on the carrier may besubjected to the action of the suction, the operating-face of the carrier is provided with a plurality of recesses, these recesses communicating with a suctionchamber through openings the combined area of which is less than the combined area of the openings of the recesses at the face of the carrier. \/Vl1ile the shape of these recesses and their arrangement may be varied, in the particular construction shown these recesses are in the form of longitudinal channels 5, each channel being provided with a plurality of openings 6, by which the channel is placed in open communication with the suctionchamber 2. It will be apparent that when a leaf is spread over the operating-face of the carrier and the suction is acting the area of the leaf which is affected by the suction will be equal to the combined area of the recesses on the face of the plate. The leaf, however, cannot be drawn down, at the most, farther than the bottom of the recesses, so that the danger of breaking the leaf by too strong suction is obviated.

WVhile, as has been indicated, the recesses may be variously arranged, in the best constructions they will be arranged substantially as shownthat is, in lines extending transversely across the carrier, these lines being so arranged that what may be termed the line of cleavage between the leaf and the carrier is substantially parallel to the wrapping mechanism as the angular relation between the carrier and the wrapping mechanism changes. It may be remarked that it is well understood in the art that the angular relation between the carrier and the wrapping mechanism may be changed either by moving the carrier or the wrapping mechanism, or both, and that the carrier may be variously disposed with respect to the wrap ping mechanism. The diagrams, Figs. 3, 4:, and 5, are based on an arrangement of carrier and wra ping mechanism such as that disclosed in. t e application of Tyberg, Serial N 0. 264,568, before referred to, in which both the wrapping mechanism and carrier are moved and the carrier delivers to the under side of the wrapping mechanism. These diagrams illustrate the action of the carrier in delivering the wrapper, the rolls by which the wrapper is wound on the bunch being indicated at 7 and the bunch itself at 8. It will be seen by comparing the various fi ures that as the wrapper is progressively fed to the bunch in the wrapping mechanism the angular relation of these parts changes and that the recesses 6 as the wrapper is pulled away from them are successively brought into substantial parallelism with the wrapping mechanism, notwithstanding the change in the angular relation referred to. The pull exercised by the rolling bunch on the wrapper at any given period in the delivery of the wrapper is therefore substantially along parallel lines, and the tendency to wrinkle the wrapper by subjecting it to forces not acting on parallel lines is avoided.

The wrapper-carrier illustrated is provided with a slot 9 at that end which supports the tuck end of the wrapper, the purpose of this slot being to permit the tuck end of the wrapper to be transferred by a needle or similar device from the wrapper-carrier to the wrapping mechanism. It is not desirable that the wrapper be strongly held at the extreme tuck end, as the needles employed for transferring purposes are very flexible, and aside from that if the wrapper were strongly held there is danger that the small needle might cut it. For this reason, therefore, the recesses referred to are replaced by perforations (indicated at 10) at the extreme tuck end of the carrier.

hen a wrapper of the general outline of the carrier illustrated is to be fed to a wrapping mechanism, it is not desirable that the extreme tip of the wrapper be strongly held by the suction at the time of the delivery, for the reason that there is danger either of tearing the wrapper across the narrow neck or of curling the wrapper, or both. For this reason, therefore, in the particular construction illustrated the recesses 6 are replaced at the extreme tip end of the carrier by perforations 11.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which this invention is carried into effect. The invention is not, therefore, to be limited to the precise construction herein illustrated and described.

That is claimed is 1. In a cigarmachine, the combination with a wrapping mechanism, of a suction wrapper-carrier which delivers the wrapper to the wrapping mechanism during the wrap ping operation, the angular relation of the wrapping mechanism and carrier varying during the delivery of the wrapper, said carrier having a recessed holding-face, the recesses communicating with a suction chamber through openings smaller in area than the area of the recesses at the face of the carrier and being disposed across the face of the carrier in lines arranged to become parallel to the wrapping mechanism as the angular relation varies.

2. In a cigar-machine, the combination with a wrapping mechanism, of a suction wrapper-carrier which delivers the wrapper to the wrapping mechanism during the wrap ping operation, the angular relation of the wrapping mechanism and the carrier varying during the delivery of the wrapper, said carrier having channels in its operating-face, said channels communicating with the suction-chamber through openings smaller in openings by which communication is estabarea than the area of the channels and being lished with the chamber being less than the disposed generally transversely across the area of the recesses at the face of the carrier.

face of the carrier so as to become succes- In testimony whereo'l Ihave hereunto set I5 sively parallel with the wrapping mechanism my hand in the presence of the subscribing as the angular relation between the carrier witnesses.

and the wrapping mechanism varies.

3. A suction wrapper-carrier for cigar-ma- Witnesses:

chines, the operating-face of which is prol J. W. SLAUGHTER,

vided with recesses in open communication l VVILLlAM TRABAUT,

with the suction-chamber, the area of the WVBEAUFORT BELL.

WILLIAM S. LU CKETT. 

